Making widened knitted webs.



. R. W. SCOTT. MAKING WIDBNED KNITTBD WEBS.

APPLIQATION FILED APB.. 113, 1904. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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APPLICATION FILED APR.18, 1904.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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ROBERT W. SCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 SCOTT & WILLIAMS, INCORPORATED', 0F CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION lOF NEW JERSEY.

MAKING WIDENED KNITTED WEBS.

'certain Improvements in Making Widened Knitted Webs, of which the following is a specification.

My invent-ion consists of a 'certain method of producing shaped or fashioned knitted web, the web having widening Wales introduced without the use of transfer points for conveying stitches from needle to needle, or of a filling up pointfor conveying an al ready formed stitch to a vacant needle, the formation of eyelet holes or gaps in the web at the points Where the widening Wales are begun being also avoided. f

The present invention is, in some respects,

a modification of that forming the subject of Letters Patent No. 614,349, granted to lne November 15, 1898.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is an exaggerated view of sufficient of a piece of knitted fabric to illustrate my present invention, Figs. 2, 8, 4 and 5, are views illustrating the manner in which each widening Wale is introduced, Fig. (i, is a view illustrating another construction of fabric embodying my invention; and Figs. 7, 8 and 9, are diagrams illustrating different dispositions of needles which may be adopted in machines designed for the production of my improved fabric.

In Fig. 1, I have shown fourteen successive courses of a web into which six widen ing wales have been introduced, three on each side of the central line m-a:; although the Widening may only be on vone side, if desired. In the first, second, third and .fourth courses of the web, each side of the latter is composed of two standing wales a a2, and four bordering wales b', b2, 3' and b4, an additional Wale a? being introduced in the sixth course, a second additional Wale a* being Iintroduced in the ninth course, and a third additional Wale a5 being introduced in the twelfth course. The opposite portions of the web in the first, second, third and fourth courses are separated by floating threads a, or, as they may be more properly termed, elongated sinker Wale courses, and

the iength of these sinker Wale courses is gradually diminished as the oppositeportions yof the web are widened by the introipecication` of Letters Patent.

Application led April 18, V1904'. Serial No. 203,708.

Patented Mar. f8, 1913.

duction of the additional` Wales, until, finally, the two portions of the web join and form a continuous fabric, although this is not essential. The bordering Wales may represent the edge portions of two flat Webs, or they. may be the opposite edge portions of a single web, and, instead of being connected by elongated sinker Wale courses, they may, in some cases, have selvage edges. The opposite edges of the narrow web or Webs and of the portions in which the y Widening has been effected, can be united by means of an ordinary looping machine, or by sewing or in any other available manner, .the sinker Wale courses a being removed,

if desired.

So far as described, the present fabric is similar to that of the patent before referred to, the main difference between the two fabrics being in the manner of introducing the Widening wales into the fabric.

' In the patented fabric, the innermost of the bordering Wales was crossed by' each Widening Wale at the point of introduction of the latter into the Web, but in the present fabric the initial course of the Widening yWale engages with a preceding sinker Wale course of the fabric, the term sinker wales applying to those portions of the fabric where the knitting yarn crosses from one needle Wale to another, and the term 35 needle Wales applying to the rows of intermeshed loops drawn by the needles.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawing, it will be observed that the first Widening Wale a3 is drawn in course 6 and engages with the Asinker Wale course 5 between the standing needle Wale a2 andthe first of the bordering Wales b', the second Widening Wale' a4 being drawn in course 9 and engaging With the sinker Wale course 8 between the needle Wales a3 and b, and the third widening Wale a5 being drawn in course 12 and engaging With the' snker Wale course 11 between the needle wales a* and b. The effect of this will be either to lengthen the initial course 160 same, and in either ease the eiect may beenhanced by shortening the stitches in a wale or wales on each side of the introduced wale, for instance, itin the fabric shown in Fig. 1, such short `istitches are 'forir `d. in

courses 5, 8 and 1l, ttlhile in the fabric shown in Fig. 6, short stitches are formed in wales on each side of the `illtidening Wale in courses 5, 6, 1e, 1i, 15 and rc.

The manner of etifeeting the intel-meshing of the vales will be understood on reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. In Fig. 2, A and A2 represent the end needles of a set for the production of the standing wales a and c2, and B', B2, B8 and B" represent the needles of the set for forming the bordering wales Zi, b2, ha and b4. The needles, or the stitchholding portions of the needles of the set for producing the standing Wales, and the needles, or stitch-holding portions of the needles, of the set for producing the bordering wales, are movable relatively to each other, bot-h in the directions of the arrow y, Fig. 2, and in the directions of the arrow te, Fig. 2, although said bordering needles, or the stitch-holding portions of the same, may, it' desired, be permanently otlset 'in respect to the standing wale needles in the direction ot' the outwardly pointing arrow ze, to an extent which will not interfere with the delivery ot the knitting yarn to both sets of needles by the same yarn guide. Preferably, however, the borderingneedles., or the stiteli-holding portions ot the same, have moveniei'it in respect to the standing Wale needles, or the stitch-holding portions of the same, this being a more convenient arrangement than the reverse construction. During the knitting of the narrow fabric, the needles occupy the relation to each other shown in Fig. 2, but when it is desired to effect, a widening of the web, the needles l5 to B4 are tirs-t moved away 'from the needles A and A2, as shown in Fig. 8, so as to pull up the bordering wales beyond the standing wales, and thereby direct the sinker Wale course between the needle wales a? and into such position that it can be engaged by an additional standing Wale needle A, brought into action alongside of the needle A2. The bordering wale needles B to B* havingl ino"ed laterally to the extent of one wale, are then restored to their normal position, or to a position in line with the standing Wale needles, the effect of this movement being te restore all of the courses of the bordering wales into line with the corresponding courses of the standing wales, the last course of bordering wales, however, being displaced late ally in respect to the previous courses to the extent ot one Wale, as shown in Fig. 4. ln the production of course (t. therefore, the needle wale a, formed upon the needle A, will engage with the sinker Wale course between lthe wales a? and b, as shown in Figs. l and 5. The knitting yarn is `fed to each introduced needle on the next movement of the yarn guide after suoli introduction, at which time said introduced needle is operated to draw a loop of said yarn.

Another method of :arrying out my invention when short loops are lormed in the wales adjacent to the sinker Wale course engaged by the widening Wale, is to eti'eet simply a lateral sl'lil'ting ot the bordering vale needles, and the introduction of' a Widening needle between the same and the last of the standing Wale needles b v moving said needle from a position outside of the range ol the knitting cams to a position within the range of the same, so that in 'forming tht` next course the knitting yarn will he laid flat across the face. of the introduced needle, and will thus constitute a sinker wale course through which aY loop will be drawn by the \\'idening needle in the formation ot' the next course, the tension upon this sinker wale course due to the short' stitches on each side of the same, heilig' relief upon to draw it so tightly between the adjoining wales as to prevent the formation of an eyelet hole oi objectionable size between said sinker Wale cours"y and that preceding it, or this introduced needle may not be drawn below the edge of the needle carrier, so that no excessive sinker vale course will occur. rlhe lnumber of wales in the hand which borders the widened portion ol the web, may be varied as desired without departing from my invention.

lt will be evident that my 'improved method ot introducing the Widening wales so as to close the eyelet hole., may be adopted in the formation of either tubular webs, or tiat selvaged edge webs produced by .reciprocating knitting, as well as in the formation of a web having divided portions connected by elongated sinker wale courses. 'lhe latter method is preferred, however, as it permits of round and round knitting andthe use ot' more than one yarn feed, thus tacilitatingproduction and providing for the use of yarns of ditl'ereut color, character or material for successive single courses of the knitted web. The web lnay be widened by the simultaneous introduction of a plurality of Wales, instead of by introducing Asingle Widening wales, as described.

The needle plan of a machine upon whiiiht a fabric ofthe character shown in Iligttl may be produced, is represented diagrammatically in F ig. 7, A representing a segmental set of standing Wale needles, and B B t-wo sets of bordering needles which are movable in respect to the standing Wale needles, as described, so as to start the knit` ting With a number of the standing Wale needles at each end of the set, (the unshaded needles for instance) out of action, these needles being successively brought-into action for widening purposes, as the bordering Wale needles are moved, so as to permit `such introduction. The yarn in`this case is laid round and round and crosses the gap between the needles B B.

The needle plan of a straight machine for producing tubular Webs widened in the manner described is shown in ,F ig. 8, in which A A represents two straight sets of standing Wale needles, and B B, t-Wo sets of bordering Wale needles. The yarn is laid up one side of the machine and down the other, crossing at each end, and its travel may be graduated so as to be coincident with the active needles, or it may travel throughout the full width of the machine with suitable take-up for the slack yarn at that end of the machine where the Widening is being effected, and inthis case the sinker Wale courses uniting the webs will be of normal and uniform length.

The needle plan of a machine for producing a flat selvaged web widened in accordance with my invention, is shown in Fig. 9, in which A represents the standing Wale needles disposed in a single straight bed, and B B, the bordering Awale needles, one set operating at one end of the needles A, and the other at the opposite end of thc same. The yarn guide in this case travels back and forth along the line of needles, having either a graduated movement or means for taking up the slack yarn at each end of thelactive set of needles, as desired. f

When a machine of the type shown in Fig. 7 is employed the knitting yarn, instead of being carried across the gap between the 0pposite sets of bordering needles B, may be cut olf as it leaves one set and laid in again when it reaches the other set, with the result that short ends of yarn will, at each course, project from the outermost of the, bordering wales, as shownin Fig. 6. These short ends may not interfere With the sewing or looping together of the opposite bordering wales, or they cairbe readily trimmed ofi' if objectionable in that respect.

Having thus described my invention, l claim and desire to secure loy Letters Patent,

l. The mode hereiny described ot' producing a knitted fabric having a. widened portion, said mode consisting in displacing a previously formed normal sinker Wale yarn located between needle wales of the knitted fabric and engaging the needle for forming the initial loop of the widening Wale With said displaced normal sinker Wale yarn.

2. The Inode herein described'of producing a knitted fabric having a widened portion With bordering Wales, said mode consisting in displacing the previously formed normal sinker Wale yarn between a standing Wale and a bordering Wale mounted upon the needles and engaging the needle for forming the initial loop of the Widening Wale with said displaced normal sinker Wale yarn.

3. The mode herein described of producing a knitted fabric having a widened portion, said mode consisting in displacing a previously formed normal sinker Wale yarn located bet-Ween needle wales of a knitted fabric andengaging the needle for forming the initial loop of the widening Wale with said displaced normal sinker Wale yarn, and drawing the initial loop of the Widening Wale around said normal sinker Wale yarn.

al. The mode herein described/of produc ing a knitted fabric having a rwidened portion with bordering Wales, 'said inode consisting in displacing a previously formed normal sinker-Wale yarn bet-Ween a standing Wale and bordering Wale mounted upon the needles, and engaging the needle for forming the initial loop' of the widening Wale with said displaced normal sinker Wale yarn and drawing the initial loop of the Widenig Wale around said normal sinker Wale yarn.

In/testimony whereof, I havesigned my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l ROBERT WV. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

WALTER CiiisM, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

